The Heart of Two Rivers
by Misao's angel
Summary: When Kaoru finnaly has enough courage to tell Kenshin how she feels... Definently not kk romance.


The Heart of Two Rivers  
  
By Misao's angel  
  
She knew it. It was time to tell him. She had waited for all of those years that she had known him- that she laid eyes upon his refined but gentle, feminine features... His violet eyes, his long, smooth, and shiny hair that would make any woman die in envy, and the cross-shaped scar of legends upon his cheek... Ever since she first laid eyes upon his handsome face she knew that he was the one she would love. But throughout the years she had been to timid- no, too afraid, to let the gentle Rurouni know. Now it was different. Now she knew it was time. The third anniversary since the time they met, the perfect time to spill out years of feelings and thoughts in a moment. But when she reached that certain Rurouni, something utmost unexpected happened.  
  
He had something to say first.  
  
"Kaoru-dono..."  
  
The former Batousai lifted his head from the pile of laundry he was washing, his eyes leveling to her own.  
  
"Sessha has something he needs to tell you. Come with me to the river, Sessha thinks it is most suitable if he tells you there."  
  
'What?!!' An astonished Kaoru had thought, 'Is he going to say what I think he is? The river is where the fireflies witnessed him hug me three years ago... The place of my fondest and most hated memories... Will he make my three years of longing worth while and tell me he loves me?! Oh please be so!'  
  
When the two arrived at the small clearing, Kenshin continued his speech. "This one wants to thank you for taking care of Sessha for the past three years. You have really been kind to Sessha, and he is truly grateful. Demo, Sessha is a Rurouni- a wanderer- and a Rurouni never stays in one place for long. I have already overstayed my welcome and... I must return to wandering de gozaru."  
  
"W-What?..." Kaoru quirked with fear. "Please tell me your joking! You can't go Kenshin! I Mean I-I love you!!" Kapru gasped in terror. She had told him. She just told him how she felt.  
  
Kenshin let out a large sigh. "Sessha knows you do, Kaoru-dono... Sessha has known ever since you first let me stay at the dojo. This one is truly flattered, but, this is one reason I must return to wandering de gozaru yo. Sessha's sorry Kaoru-dono, but... I can't say I have any feelings for you, or anyone other then my haku baikou. The one who cleansed my tainted heart is gone... And Sessha wants to join her. Sessha made a promise to her the day that she died, and this one must fufill this one's promise de gozaru. Sessha promised her that once Sessha had saved as much as he killed, he would no longer allow her to be lonely. Yesterday Sessha had saved the last one de gozaru. Today I will join my beloved, and complete the promise."  
  
"N-no... Your lying... I-I..." The words never came out. Kaoru fell on her knees abruptly, causing mud to splash allover the front of her favorite silk kimono. But that didn't matter right now. Her love was leaving, forever, to join his true beloved. Tears were cascading down her face, clogging her throat and stifling her breaths.'The love I will never match up to. The one I could never be or replace, no matter how hard I tried. The one who stole the heart I could never have. Oh how I envy her...'  
  
"I will go now. To Otsu. And, gomen nasai Kaoru-dono for making you cry... dry your tears de gozaro. Grow strong Kaoru-dono, and find your true love, one who will return it, cherish it, and deserve it more than I could ever. I may see you again, in the after life, but for now I will tell you for the second time... Sayonara, Kaoru-dono." While what ever memories she had of his smile faded with his body that night. The cherry blossoms engulfed his shrinking image in a blanket of light pink until it covered any evidence that he ever existed at all.  
  
She wanted to stop him so badly, to save him from his own sword, to give him one more chance for happiness. But her legs wouldn't respond to her mind. She was trapped in a chamber of pain and tears, and was too weak to free herself. She stumbled down to the river, and starred at her mournful expression. This river brought back so many memories of him. Jin-e, The fireflies, her welcoming him again to Tokyo... she could go on, but she just... couldn't care. She hated her reflection. The face of one so ugly and tainted ment nothing to her. Without Kenshin, she was alone again. She didn't want that, she didn't want life without him. So she chose not to have life at all. She jumped into the river, in her heavy silk kimono, and let the rapids carry her as far as they could, but she never came out. And far away in Otsu, a few hours later, a certin Rurouni threw himself into a river as well. The two rivers began in two different worlds, as two oppisite rivers, one calm and gentle, moving with and sudden springy grace of happiness that it had lacked for the past 16 years, and the other saternine and melancholy, slowly and harshly pulling the rocks in its slow, lonely current, but as difernt as these rivers began, the both had the same destination, the same sea that created them. Though both had such different views of life the both had the same heart. 


End file.
